Fresh South Sudan violence forces more than 6,000 refugees into Uganda

More and more South Sudanese refugees continue to flee their country into Uganda following the deteriorating security situation in their country.

This time round, more than 6,000 mostly women and children have fled into Uganda’s northern district of Lamwo after a recent attack on Pajok town.

The victims have been left frightened and traumatised as they witnessed their loved ones shot dead at close range, with many others arrested then killed.

“The soldiers were looting, breaking doors and beating people. They would arrest you and ask you to show them where the rebels are. But when you tell them you don’t know, they beat you. They killed people,” said Auma Lucy Yubuan, who escaped and walked for two days.

She was lucky to escape but the elderly and the disabled who could not run were shot dead.

According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, families fled the attack in different directions and that some are still hiding in the bush trying to find their way to Uganda.

The new arrivals are however stretching Uganda’s scarce resources to the limit.

“Of course you see we need this emergency water, we need shelter. We need medical, we need food and attending these child protection issues,” said UNHCR Emergency Response team, Agnes Kanyonyi.

So far, only 11 percent of the funding needed by UNHCR and partners to respond to the crisis has been received to cater for more than 832,000 refugees from South Sudan.
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